Born: 1743, Kensington London
Died: 1761, Fulneck
Learn more about the life of John Morgan
DepartedMay the 9th
1761
The Youth John Morgan was born at Kensington near London
May the 26th 1743. He came to the Childns Oeconomy at Buttermeer
when he was about 3 Years old, and came from thence with the
whole Oeconomy to Smith house in
1749. During his childhood he
had a
promising Genius and Capacity for learning, and in his
disposition had
something pretty and taking, but with regard to
his heart there always
appeard a tendency to being close, and re-
serv’d, which often
made his Brnsigh, least in futurity the same
should continue and
consequently prove detrimental to his Boys and
Youths course in the
Congn
About the time of the Oeconomies removing from
Smith house
to Lambshill in 1753 there often appeared something of the dear
Mo-
thers Labour upon his Heart, particularly when his curiosity of
which
he had a great share led him upon searching into things which he
was
afterwards shy in speaking about. In this course he went on, and
his Brn were often very much distressed on
his Account, and full of
fears lest his want of uprightness and
openness would make his course
heavy to himself and painful to our
Saviour & this Brn he had how-
ever Intervals
betwixt, sometimes dear and promising & then
again
dark and gloomy, particularly if any thing
manifestly appeared against
him on account of which he should become a
Sinner. However he
applied himself with exemplary Diligence to writing
Congn
Accounts,
and showed a certain pleasure in doing whatsoever was
committed to
him with great faithfulness and punctuallity.
He was receiv’d into the great Boys choirJany 9, 1797 by Br Renatus
which seemingly had a blessed effect upon him for a long time af-
ter, but his close disposition of Mind caused him many anxious
moments, when he heard he should be spoke with separately, and he sel-
dom returned from it but with red and wet Eyes on Account thereof.
He
came to live in the Choir-house and learn the shoema-
kers businessAugust the 21st
1758, His diligence at his Work and
desire to learn the
business thoroughly was pleasing to every
one who had to do with him but he laboured under an impedi-
ment in his Eyesight which often pain’d him and made him
dis-
pair sometimes of ever learning to work as he should do
In Novr 1759 he was one of
those Youths whom our dear Johannes
regulated during his visit
here, since which time he has been more
clear and unreserved than
ever before. In general his course outwardly
has been very orderly
ever since he came into the choirhouse,
always
showing Obedience to his Brn
and esteeming that as highly
necessary both in himself and others.
Those 3 or 4 Months past
he has been much more concern’d for a
livelyHeart, and spoke
of it with more feeling than formerly, was
also more clear and open
& had a more real connexion with our
Savr. In the begining of his
Sickness which was towards the latter end of April, he did not think
much of going home, nor did he desire it much because his heart
was
not in so tender to situation towards our Savr as it could &
should be. Several serious
bands were kept with him, whereby
he discovered a sensibility not
observed in him before. The
5th Instant he
altered, told a Labourer he knew he was much
concern’d on his
Account, and not without Reason, for said he
my heart has not been so lively as it should,
but be not distress’d
or troubled about me, perhaps you may think
it would not be agre-
able to me to go home, but I can ease you on
that Account, and
assure you my concern comes not from that Corner,
whenever he calls
me he will take one to himself, I am his & shall
certainly go to
him, this is a clear and made out matter to me, but my
concern
is that my heart is not more lively and warm & that I have
not
enjoy’d his precious nearness as I could and should have
done.
This Conversation was sattisfactory. He also spoke with our
Savr
from that time in a more Sinnerlike but confident manner
as long
as he was able to speak, & also told his Labourers and other
Brnhe now knew he should go home this time express’d also
a desire after it. At last it was very difficult for him to speak
but when visited did all in his power to render himself intelligible
and particularly to express himself about going home. The 7th
in the Morning he expressed again his desire to go home so as to
be understood, & about 11 at Night his Sickness took such a turn
that it was thought he would go directly.
From this time he took very little notice of any person or thing
about him but lay
quite still seemingly without pain till the 9th
(that ever memorable day) in the evening while the Congn was
enjoying the holy Communion, about 1/2 an hour before his
de-
parture he came quite to himself, was very sensible of his pain,
but not able to speak, & 3/4 past 9 while the Congn prostrated
he was deliverd into the
hands of his Redeemer in a peculiar
tender manner, to whom he breathed out his spirit with the bles-
sing of his Choir, & during the singing of several Verses in
his
18th Year